[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-treasure-immortal-basin":3,"chapter-the-treasure-immortal-basin-the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Treasure Immortal Basin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2355188,4608,"Chapter 5: Elixir","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>Water trickled gently!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, everyone arrived at this waterfall, barely a foot wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hand me the bucket!” Zhang Da barked at He Pingsheng, then snatched the bucket and walked to the water’s edge to fill it halfway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Da struggled to carry the water to the green-clad woman, then beamed and said, “Great Lady, please inspect it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-clad woman nodded, cupped some water in her hand, and brought it to her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brows furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second Sister, what’s wrong?” The pink-clad woman stepped forward to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the green-clad woman could speak, the pink-clad woman also scooped water and tasted it—then erupted in fury: “You’ve polluted this water source… Boy, you deserve to die…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her almond eyes glared at He Pingsheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the green-clad woman shook her head: “Not necessarily. This is flowing water—even if tainted slightly, how could it lose its original flavor entirely?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think the problem lies upstream!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-clad woman softly commanded, and suddenly her magic power surged forth—a technique He Pingsheng couldn’t comprehend—whereupon a thread of water shot from the waterfall, landing precisely in her snow-white palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She promptly brought the water to her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink-clad woman asked, “Sister, what do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-clad woman shook her head: “This water is wrong—completely different from before. The problem must originate at the source.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The source?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink-clad woman lifted her gaze, following the waterfall upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very top, where the water originated, lay the highest ridge behind Xiuzhu Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, cliffs and precipices made it impossible for ordinary disciples to climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a laborer like He Pingsheng, he’d never set foot on the summit in his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, in a sense, the water’s change had nothing to do with He Pingsheng at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink-clad woman knew this perfectly well—she had wrongly blamed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as a senior inner disciple, her status was too exalted to apologize to a “lowly laborer.” Instead, she turned away, shot He Pingsheng a furious glare, and let out a cold snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re in charge of fetching water. When the water quality changed, you should’ve reported it to me immediately. You’re at fault here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she needed some excuse, didn’t she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the green-clad woman gave no quarter to the pink-clad woman. She looked at He Pingsheng and sighed: “He’s not to blame. Sister, report this to Master—we’ll send someone else to investigate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-clad woman turned to He Pingsheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng bowed: “Great Lady, this humble one is He Pingsheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This matter has nothing to do with you. My sister wrongly accused you.” The green-clad woman extended her jade hand and handed He Pingsheng a white porcelain vial: “Inside are two [Golden Bone Elixirs]. Take one—you’ll heal fully within three days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other is compensation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng’s heart fluttered—he didn’t know whether to accept or refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the green-clad woman had already slipped the vial into his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister…” The pink-clad woman looked displeased. “He’s just a lowly laborer. Why apologize to him? Let him die—he’s expendable. Does Xiuzhu Peak care about one or two laborers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, don’t speak like that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master told me: never kill mortals lightly, or you’ll accrue karmic debt that harms your cultivation. I’m looking out for you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their voices grew quieter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng looked up and saw the two women had already walked far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phew…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Zhang Da also exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many around them eyed He Pingsheng’s porcelain vial with hungry stares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng instantly clutched the vial tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—all of you—get the hell out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Da waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, everyone scattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only He Pingsheng and Zhang Da remained beside the mountain spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little He…” Zhang Da put on a smiling face. “What I said earlier was just for the ladies’ ears—you don’t take it seriously, do you? Would I really kill you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiuzhu Peak is a place of order!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng said nothing—he didn’t know how to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because just then, he had truly felt Zhang Da’s killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beating you up? That was saving your life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Da kept smiling at He Pingsheng: “Think about it—if I hadn’t hit you, wouldn’t that lady have struck you? Her sword was already aimed at you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hit you—only enough to make you bleed from nose and mouth, give you some bruises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if I hadn’t acted, she’d have sliced you in half—you’d be a cold corpse by now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—two cold halves of a corpse!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng shuddered involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Zhang Da twisted logic, his words were true—if the woman had acted, his life might truly be over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that didn’t mean Zhang Da was kind-hearted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, Little He!” Zhang Da grinned shamelessly. “I saved your life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A life saved demands repayment, doesn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, his eyes fixed on He Pingsheng’s chest, on the white porcelain vial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng finally understood: this bastard wants my elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhang Da!” He Pingsheng said. “I’m injured—I need this elixir to heal!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, I can’t complete my duties these days!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh…” Zhang Da chuckled. “You’ve got two, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s what you do—give me one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep the other to heal yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And!” Zhang Da continued. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll give you an easier task. I’ll assign someone else to fetch water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng began weighing his options.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First—he couldn’t refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he refused, this bastard would keep eyeing the elixir, and he’d suffer for it later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he gave it, he’d gain something in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine… a wise man adapts to circumstances. This isn’t cowardice—it’s a small compromise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine!” He Pingsheng said. “I hope you keep your word, Zhang Da—give me an easier task tomorrow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the vial, took out a red elixir, and handed it to Zhang Da.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Da didn’t take it—he nodded toward the vial. “I want the bottle too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In plain terms—he wanted the whole thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng didn’t argue—he handed over the vial as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Da took it, opened it, glanced inside, and said: “Correct—first-grade Golden Bone Elixir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boy, I’m in a good mood—I’ll teach you something today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See the patterns on this elixir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s danwen. One line means inferior grade, two lines mean middle grade, three lines mean superior grade!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Da tucked the white porcelain vial into his chest and strode away, smugly triumphant.\u003C\u002Fp>",1059,"2026-06-21T04:08:57.694Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a3c9d7a945f64ae661523719e70613a90ddef20e67dd04b67baa3ff2d2c1a8c3","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-6","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-4",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-treasure-immortal-basin-cover.jpg"]